Remembering the Giants Who Have Passed

 

On Wednesday morning, the VEITHsymposium will give tribute to three prominent vascular surgeons who passed away this year: Dr. Richard F. (Dick) Kempczinski (1940-2017), Dr. Edward B. (Ted) Diethrich (1935-2017), and Dr. Clifford J. (Cliff) Buckley (1936-2017).

Each will receive a memorial encomium by one of their valued friends and colleagues in this special session. All three men were renowned for their contributions to vascular research, teaching, mentoring, and patient care.

Dr. Richard F. (Dick) Kempczinski died on March 8, 2017. He was born in Brooklyn, New York, received his undergraduate degree from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass. in 1962, and his MD from Harvard Medical School in in 1967. He performed a surgical internship at University Hospitals in Cleveland, then did a surgical residency at Massachusetts General Hospital, studying vascular surgery under the renowned Dr. Robert R. Linton and Dr. R. Clement Darling. He served as as surgeon for two years in the U.S. Army from 1970-1972. This included including a year of service in Vietnam. He left the service with the rank of Major.

In 1974, he joined the University of Colorado Medical Center in Denver as an assistant professor of surgery and was the chief of vascular surgery at the VA Medical Center. In 1979, he became associate professor of surgery and chief of vascular surgery at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center where he remained until his retirement.

Among his many contributions to the field of vascular surgery included helping to found the Rocky Mountain Vascular Society, helping to establish the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission for vascular diagnostic laboratories, for which he served as second President. In 1992, he was elected President of the Midwestern Vascular Surgical Society. In 2002, he received the Pioneer Award from the Society for Vascular Technology. He was an author of more than 150 original articles and book chapters, and an author or editor of seven books.

Dr. Kempczinski’s many important contributions to the vascular literature included serving as associate editor of Rutherford’s Vascular Surgery, and his service as a member of the editorial boards of the Journal of Vascular Surgery and Perspectives in Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy.

Dr. Kempczinksi will be memorialized by Dr. Jerry Goldstone, Professor of Surgery Emeritus, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio.

Dr. Edward B. (Ted) Diethrich died on February 23, 2017, at the age of 81. He was born in Hillsdale, Michigan, in 1935. He completed his undergraduate education at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where he also attended medical school, graduating in 1960s. He showed his facility for innovation early in his career, when he developed the Diethrich sternal saw, which became widely adopted by cardiovascular surgeons. Dr. Diethrich did his surgical residency training at St. Joseph’s Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor and at the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit and then performed a thoracic surgical residency with the renowned Dr. Michael E. DeBakey at Baylor College of Medicine.

In 1971, Dr. Diethrich established the Arizona Heart Institute in Phoenix and its research organization, the Arizona Heart Foundation. Among its many noted accomplishments, The Arizona Heart Institute established the first outpatient heart clinic in 1971, and the first outpatient cardiac catheterization laboratory in 1979. Dr. Diethrich performed the first heart transplantation in Phoenix in 1984 and the first heart-lung transplantation in Arizona in 1985. Dr. Diethrich founded the Arizona Heart Hospital in 1998 and served as its medical director and chief of cardiovascular surgery from 1998 to 2010.

Perhaps among his most important accomplishment in the field of vascular surgery was his staunch advocacy of the endovascular revolution. He was an innovator in the development and commercialization of endografts. Dr. Diethrich performed the world’s first endovascular aortic aneurysm repairs for a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm in 2000, and he was responsible for the creation of the International Society of Endovascular Specialists.

Dr. Diethrich will be remembered by Dr. Ali F. AbuRahma, professor of surgery; chief of vascular & endovascular surgery; director, vascular surgery, West Virginia University.

Dr. Clifford J. (Cliff) Buckley died September 29, 2017. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, in 1958, and his MD from Hahnemann University, Philadelphia in 1962. He performed his surgical internship at Hahnemann Hospital from 1962 to 1963, served as a surgical resident at Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center from 1969 to 1973, and performed his vascular fellowship from 1973 to 1974 at Harvard University/Massachusetts General Hospital.

Dr. Buckley later served as professor of surgery at Texas A&M University Health Science Center College of Medicine, and as associate chief of staff, surgical services, Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, Temple, Texas. He also served as program director for the largest surgical residency in the United States military and was in the private practice of vascular surgery in San Antonio for 15 years.

Dr. Buckley was a pioneer in the endovascular revolution, publishing extensively on the methodology of endovascular repair in almost every major vascular bed, including carotid arteries, abdominal aortic aneurysms, and the lower extremities, authoring over 70 peer-reviewed articles, and six book chapters.

Dr. Buckley was a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He was also a Distinguished Fellow of the Society for Vascular Surgery, the International Society of Endovascular Specialists, and the Texas Surgical Society, which he served as President. He was also President of the International Society of Endovascular Specialists.

Dr. Buckley will receive a tribute from Frank J. Veith, MD, Professor of Surgery, Cleveland Clinic and New York University.

Session 34: Tributes to Giants

Wednesday, 10:15 a.m. - 10:32 a.m.
 

 

On Wednesday morning, the VEITHsymposium will give tribute to three prominent vascular surgeons who passed away this year: Dr. Richard F. (Dick) Kempczinski (1940-2017), Dr. Edward B. (Ted) Diethrich (1935-2017), and Dr. Clifford J. (Cliff) Buckley (1936-2017).

Each will receive a memorial encomium by one of their valued friends and colleagues in this special session. All three men were renowned for their contributions to vascular research, teaching, mentoring, and patient care.

Dr. Richard F. (Dick) Kempczinski died on March 8, 2017. He was born in Brooklyn, New York, received his undergraduate degree from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass. in 1962, and his MD from Harvard Medical School in in 1967. He performed a surgical internship at University Hospitals in Cleveland, then did a surgical residency at Massachusetts General Hospital, studying vascular surgery under the renowned Dr. Robert R. Linton and Dr. R. Clement Darling. He served as as surgeon for two years in the U.S. Army from 1970-1972. This included including a year of service in Vietnam. He left the service with the rank of Major.

In 1974, he joined the University of Colorado Medical Center in Denver as an assistant professor of surgery and was the chief of vascular surgery at the VA Medical Center. In 1979, he became associate professor of surgery and chief of vascular surgery at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center where he remained until his retirement.

Among his many contributions to the field of vascular surgery included helping to found the Rocky Mountain Vascular Society, helping to establish the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission for vascular diagnostic laboratories, for which he served as second President. In 1992, he was elected President of the Midwestern Vascular Surgical Society. In 2002, he received the Pioneer Award from the Society for Vascular Technology. He was an author of more than 150 original articles and book chapters, and an author or editor of seven books.

Dr. Kempczinski’s many important contributions to the vascular literature included serving as associate editor of Rutherford’s Vascular Surgery, and his service as a member of the editorial boards of the Journal of Vascular Surgery and Perspectives in Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy.

Dr. Kempczinksi will be memorialized by Dr. Jerry Goldstone, Professor of Surgery Emeritus, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio.

Dr. Edward B. (Ted) Diethrich died on February 23, 2017, at the age of 81. He was born in Hillsdale, Michigan, in 1935. He completed his undergraduate education at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where he also attended medical school, graduating in 1960s. He showed his facility for innovation early in his career, when he developed the Diethrich sternal saw, which became widely adopted by cardiovascular surgeons. Dr. Diethrich did his surgical residency training at St. Joseph’s Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor and at the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit and then performed a thoracic surgical residency with the renowned Dr. Michael E. DeBakey at Baylor College of Medicine.

In 1971, Dr. Diethrich established the Arizona Heart Institute in Phoenix and its research organization, the Arizona Heart Foundation. Among its many noted accomplishments, The Arizona Heart Institute established the first outpatient heart clinic in 1971, and the first outpatient cardiac catheterization laboratory in 1979. Dr. Diethrich performed the first heart transplantation in Phoenix in 1984 and the first heart-lung transplantation in Arizona in 1985. Dr. Diethrich founded the Arizona Heart Hospital in 1998 and served as its medical director and chief of cardiovascular surgery from 1998 to 2010.

Perhaps among his most important accomplishment in the field of vascular surgery was his staunch advocacy of the endovascular revolution. He was an innovator in the development and commercialization of endografts. Dr. Diethrich performed the world’s first endovascular aortic aneurysm repairs for a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm in 2000, and he was responsible for the creation of the International Society of Endovascular Specialists.

Dr. Diethrich will be remembered by Dr. Ali F. AbuRahma, professor of surgery; chief of vascular & endovascular surgery; director, vascular surgery, West Virginia University.

Dr. Clifford J. (Cliff) Buckley died September 29, 2017. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, in 1958, and his MD from Hahnemann University, Philadelphia in 1962. He performed his surgical internship at Hahnemann Hospital from 1962 to 1963, served as a surgical resident at Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center from 1969 to 1973, and performed his vascular fellowship from 1973 to 1974 at Harvard University/Massachusetts General Hospital.

Dr. Buckley later served as professor of surgery at Texas A&M University Health Science Center College of Medicine, and as associate chief of staff, surgical services, Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, Temple, Texas. He also served as program director for the largest surgical residency in the United States military and was in the private practice of vascular surgery in San Antonio for 15 years.

Dr. Buckley was a pioneer in the endovascular revolution, publishing extensively on the methodology of endovascular repair in almost every major vascular bed, including carotid arteries, abdominal aortic aneurysms, and the lower extremities, authoring over 70 peer-reviewed articles, and six book chapters.

Dr. Buckley was a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He was also a Distinguished Fellow of the Society for Vascular Surgery, the International Society of Endovascular Specialists, and the Texas Surgical Society, which he served as President. He was also President of the International Society of Endovascular Specialists.

Dr. Buckley will receive a tribute from Frank J. Veith, MD, Professor of Surgery, Cleveland Clinic and New York University.

Session 34: Tributes to Giants

Wednesday, 10:15 a.m. - 10:32 a.m.
 

 

On Wednesday morning, the VEITHsymposium will give tribute to three prominent vascular surgeons who passed away this year: Dr. Richard F. (Dick) Kempczinski (1940-2017), Dr. Edward B. (Ted) Diethrich (1935-2017), and Dr. Clifford J. (Cliff) Buckley (1936-2017).

Each will receive a memorial encomium by one of their valued friends and colleagues in this special session. All three men were renowned for their contributions to vascular research, teaching, mentoring, and patient care.

Dr. Richard F. (Dick) Kempczinski died on March 8, 2017. He was born in Brooklyn, New York, received his undergraduate degree from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass. in 1962, and his MD from Harvard Medical School in in 1967. He performed a surgical internship at University Hospitals in Cleveland, then did a surgical residency at Massachusetts General Hospital, studying vascular surgery under the renowned Dr. Robert R. Linton and Dr. R. Clement Darling. He served as as surgeon for two years in the U.S. Army from 1970-1972. This included including a year of service in Vietnam. He left the service with the rank of Major.

In 1974, he joined the University of Colorado Medical Center in Denver as an assistant professor of surgery and was the chief of vascular surgery at the VA Medical Center. In 1979, he became associate professor of surgery and chief of vascular surgery at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center where he remained until his retirement.

Among his many contributions to the field of vascular surgery included helping to found the Rocky Mountain Vascular Society, helping to establish the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission for vascular diagnostic laboratories, for which he served as second President. In 1992, he was elected President of the Midwestern Vascular Surgical Society. In 2002, he received the Pioneer Award from the Society for Vascular Technology. He was an author of more than 150 original articles and book chapters, and an author or editor of seven books.

Dr. Kempczinski’s many important contributions to the vascular literature included serving as associate editor of Rutherford’s Vascular Surgery, and his service as a member of the editorial boards of the Journal of Vascular Surgery and Perspectives in Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy.

Dr. Kempczinksi will be memorialized by Dr. Jerry Goldstone, Professor of Surgery Emeritus, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio.

Dr. Edward B. (Ted) Diethrich died on February 23, 2017, at the age of 81. He was born in Hillsdale, Michigan, in 1935. He completed his undergraduate education at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where he also attended medical school, graduating in 1960s. He showed his facility for innovation early in his career, when he developed the Diethrich sternal saw, which became widely adopted by cardiovascular surgeons. Dr. Diethrich did his surgical residency training at St. Joseph’s Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor and at the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit and then performed a thoracic surgical residency with the renowned Dr. Michael E. DeBakey at Baylor College of Medicine.

In 1971, Dr. Diethrich established the Arizona Heart Institute in Phoenix and its research organization, the Arizona Heart Foundation. Among its many noted accomplishments, The Arizona Heart Institute established the first outpatient heart clinic in 1971, and the first outpatient cardiac catheterization laboratory in 1979. Dr. Diethrich performed the first heart transplantation in Phoenix in 1984 and the first heart-lung transplantation in Arizona in 1985. Dr. Diethrich founded the Arizona Heart Hospital in 1998 and served as its medical director and chief of cardiovascular surgery from 1998 to 2010.

Perhaps among his most important accomplishment in the field of vascular surgery was his staunch advocacy of the endovascular revolution. He was an innovator in the development and commercialization of endografts. Dr. Diethrich performed the world’s first endovascular aortic aneurysm repairs for a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm in 2000, and he was responsible for the creation of the International Society of Endovascular Specialists.

Dr. Diethrich will be remembered by Dr. Ali F. AbuRahma, professor of surgery; chief of vascular & endovascular surgery; director, vascular surgery, West Virginia University.

Dr. Clifford J. (Cliff) Buckley died September 29, 2017. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, in 1958, and his MD from Hahnemann University, Philadelphia in 1962. He performed his surgical internship at Hahnemann Hospital from 1962 to 1963, served as a surgical resident at Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center from 1969 to 1973, and performed his vascular fellowship from 1973 to 1974 at Harvard University/Massachusetts General Hospital.

Dr. Buckley later served as professor of surgery at Texas A&M University Health Science Center College of Medicine, and as associate chief of staff, surgical services, Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, Temple, Texas. He also served as program director for the largest surgical residency in the United States military and was in the private practice of vascular surgery in San Antonio for 15 years.

Dr. Buckley was a pioneer in the endovascular revolution, publishing extensively on the methodology of endovascular repair in almost every major vascular bed, including carotid arteries, abdominal aortic aneurysms, and the lower extremities, authoring over 70 peer-reviewed articles, and six book chapters.

Dr. Buckley was a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He was also a Distinguished Fellow of the Society for Vascular Surgery, the International Society of Endovascular Specialists, and the Texas Surgical Society, which he served as President. He was also President of the International Society of Endovascular Specialists.

Dr. Buckley will receive a tribute from Frank J. Veith, MD, Professor of Surgery, Cleveland Clinic and New York University.

Session 34: Tributes to Giants

Wednesday, 10:15 a.m. - 10:32 a.m.